Do you CC the principal/ASST. Principal every time there an issue?

[Anonymous]

Today the AP responded and told me that I don't need to CC her every-time I am emailing the teacher. Do you think I should say anything to her?

I was under the impression that it was always done.

[Anonymous]

How often are you emailing the teacher? School just started. You do realize the teacher has 20+ other students don't you? What if they all emailed as much as you do and cc'd the asst. principal?

[Anonymous]

I’m a principal in Fairfax County. If you’re emailing the teacher about a question or concern, then just email the teacher. There is no need to include administrators.
IF after contacting the teacher you still have questions or concerns, then I would expect you to email me and our asst principal. One of us would respond to see how we could help resolve it.

In the situation you described in your first post, I would agree with the asst principal. There is no need to include him/her when you’re emailing the teacher.

[Anonymous]

I would only cc the principal if there was an important issue that I had already tried to address with just the teacher but had failed.

Do you want someone ccing your boss every time they ask you a question?

[Anonymous]

The AP is showing respect for the teacher by declaring that she is confident that the teacher can handle your request. I only cc the principal or resource teacher if the classroom teacher is not meeting my needs adequately.

[Anonymous]

The AP was correct. I only cc the AP if it is not a classroom issue or if the classroom teacher hasn't dealt with the problem.

So...in 8 years of public school, I think I've cc'd the AP or principal twice about something that wasn't a PTA matter.

[Anonymous]

Of course not! How annoying that must be for the administration at your school.

How often are you emailing?

[Anonymous]

You are seriously cc’ing the Principal and AP on emails to the teacher? Have you had major issues with this teacher?
No, it is most definitely always done. How would the administrators function if they received every email of every kid in the school?

[Anonymous]

Er... OP. (Taking you aside discreetly.)
Whispers: "You are *that* parent."

The assistant principal and principal literally have 100s of emails every day, from their superiors, central office, the bus depot, contractors, special education teams, education professionals and interns, and parents with serious concerns. They sit in on special education meetings, they meet with staff, they work closely with the PTA, they are constantly talking to central office to maneuver their school into more funds and more staff (it takes politics and gaming the system at a certain point), they meet with state and county officials to make sure crosswalks stay safe, they forge relationships with nearby key players so that local businesses are inclined to donate stuff to the school, they talk to children with problems, they walk about the corridors making sure everything is shipshape, and some, like our principal, monitors the car drop-off line every morning and bangs on car hoods if the driver is doing something unsafe.

These people are BUSY.

Don't bother them unless the teacher has proven useless.

[Anonymous]

Good lord OP! First of all, you have REALLY managed to go overboard if you are emailing so much the AP had to tell you to stop. You ONLY CC the AP or principal of it's a serious issue the teacher is not responding to or is the cause of. Not for just regular BS check in emails which you should also not be sending a lot of.

Teachers have a lot of students. There is a lot going on behind the scenes you aren't even aware of. They do not have time to be conversing with you regularly about whatever pops into your head. This is so embarrassing for you and I hope you'll take it for what it was: a very kind reminder to knock it off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Er... OP. (Taking you aside discreetly.)
Whispers: "You are *that* parent."

The assistant principal and principal literally have 100s of emails every day, from their superiors, central office, the bus depot, contractors, special education teams, education professionals and interns, and parents with serious concerns. They sit in on special education meetings, they meet with staff, they work closely with the PTA, they are constantly talking to central office to maneuver their school into more funds and more staff (it takes politics and gaming the system at a certain point), they meet with state and county officials to make sure crosswalks stay safe, they forge relationships with nearby key players so that local businesses are inclined to donate stuff to the school, they talk to children with problems, they walk about the corridors making sure everything is shipshape, and some, like our principal, monitors the car drop-off line every morning and bangs on car hoods if the driver is doing something unsafe.

These people are BUSY.

Don't bother them unless the teacher has proven useless.

This.

Meanwhile, you may have torpedoed your relationships with the teaching staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Er... OP. (Taking you aside discreetly.)
Whispers: "You are *that* parent."

The assistant principal and principal literally have 100s of emails every day, from their superiors, central office, the bus depot, contractors, special education teams, education professionals and interns, and parents with serious concerns. They sit in on special education meetings, they meet with staff, they work closely with the PTA, they are constantly talking to central office to maneuver their school into more funds and more staff (it takes politics and gaming the system at a certain point), they meet with state and county officials to make sure crosswalks stay safe, they forge relationships with nearby key players so that local businesses are inclined to donate stuff to the school, they talk to children with problems, they walk about the corridors making sure everything is shipshape, and some, like our principal, monitors the car drop-off line every morning and bangs on car hoods if the driver is doing something unsafe.

These people are BUSY.

Don't bother them unless the teacher has proven useless.

This.

Meanwhile, you may have torpedoed your relationships with the teaching staff.

Not "may." Did.

-teacher

[Anonymous]

How many issues do you have? A couple of times over 6 years my son got really out of line at school and I had a meeting with the AP or received a phone call after he had an office time out. I sent a follow up email thanking her for her time and apologizing again for whatever happened. I copied his teacher on those emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would only cc the principal if there was an important issue that I had already tried to address with just the teacher but had failed.

Do you want someone ccing your boss every time they ask you a question?

+1 and, that email would only be to ask for a meeting with all of us. I see no point in trying to hash through issues via email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Today the AP responded and told me that I don't need to CC her every-time I am emailing the teacher. Do you think I should say anything to her?

I was under the impression that it was always done.

Sounds like you have a lot of “issues.” Also sounds like perhaps you are the common denominator. Might want to reflect on that.